The Crew

List of Killed and Injured as a Result of the Attack on the USS Panay and accompanying vessels, December 12, 1937, from a list compiled by Commander James J. Hughes.

KILLED:

CHARLES L. ENSMINGER, STOREKEEER 1c, USN

EDGAR G. HULSEBUS, LIEUT. USN

MR. SANDRO SANDRI, ITALIAN JOURNALIST.

SERIOUSLY INJURED:

JAMES J. HUGHES, LIEUT. COMDR., USN

ARTHUR F. ANDERS, LIEUT. USN

JOHN W. GEIST, LIEUT (jg) USN

CARL H. BIRK, E.M. 1c, USN

NEWTON L. DAVIS, F. 1c, USN

ALEX KOZAK, MM 2c, USN

JOHN H. LAND, CQM, USN

KENNETH JAMES RICE, EM 3c, USN

CHARLES SCOTT SCHROYER, SEA.1c, USN

PERES DIX ZIEGLER, S.C. 3c, USN

MINOR INJURIES:

CHARLES S. ADAMS, RM 2c, USN

TONY BARBA, JR., SC 3c, USN

JOHN A. BONKOSKI, GM 3c, USN

ERNEST C. BRANCH, F. 1c, USN

RAYMOND L. BROWNING, EM 3c, USN

WALTER CHEATHAM, COX., USN

THOMAS A. COLEMAN, CPhM, USN

JOHN A. DIRNHOFER, Sea. 1c, USN

YUAN T. ERH, MAtt. 1c, USN

FRED G. FICHTENMAYER, CM 1c, USN

EMERY F. FISHER, CWT, USN

MICHAEL GERENT, MM 2c, USN

CECIL B. GREEN, Sea. 1c, USN

JOHN L. HODGE, F. 1c, USN

FON B. HUFFMAN, WT 2c, USN

KARL HAROLD JOHNSON, MM 2c, USN

CARL HERMAN KERSKE

PETER H. LUMPERS, CMM, USN

WILLIAM P. LANDER, Sea. 1c, USN

ERNEST R. HALHMANN, CBM, USN

WILLIAM A. MC CABE, F. 1c, USN

STANLEY W. MC EOWEN, Sea. 1c, USN

JAMES H. PECK, QM 2c, USN

REGINALD P. PETERSON, RM 2c, USN

VERNON F. PUCKETT, CMM, USN

KING F. SUNG, MAtt. 2c, USN

HARRY B. TUCK, S. 1c, USN

CLEO E. WAXLER, BM 2c, USN

JOHN T. WEBER, Yeo. 1c, USN

ROBERT R. HEBARD, F. 1c, USN

FAR Z. WONG, MAtt. 1c, USN

CLARK G. GRAZIER, Lieut. (MC), USN

DENNIS H. BIWERSE, Ensign, USN.

SERIOUSLY INJURED CIVILIAN PASSENGERS:

EMILE GASSIE, EMBASSY CLERK

JAMES MARSHALL, COLLIERS CORRESPONDENT

MINOR INJURIES TO CIVILIAN PASSENGERS:

J. PAXTON HALL, SECOND SECRETARY

ROY SQUIRES, CHINA IMPORTING AND EXPORTING.

FOLLOWING CIVILIAN ON BOARD MEIPING MINOR INJURIES:

F.H. VINES, BRITISH AMERICAN TOBACCO.

FOLLOWING CIVILIAN ON BOARD MEIAN KILLED:

C.H. CARLSON, MASTER.

Survivors of the USS Panay

“I'LL MEET YOU AT THE SLOP CHUTE ON THE OLD WHANGPOO" I'll meet you at the slop chute on the old WhangpooBring along your dip net; there'll be enough for twoThere'll be beans and carrots and some Irish stewI'll meet you at the slop chute on the old Whangpoo!

— theme song of the “river rats” of the Yangtze Patrol,
sung to the tune of "Let Me Call You Sweetheart"

The Crew of the USS Panay

THE DECORATED

List of Awards Presented to Survivors and the Dead:

THE DISTINGUISHED SERVICE MEDAL

NOTE: In 1937, the Navy ranked the Medal of Honor as its highest award, followed by the Distinguished Service Cross and the Navy Cross. In 1939 the Navy withdrew the Navy Cross it had awarded Arthur Anders and granted him the Distinguished Service Medal. The precedence of these two decorations was reversed in 1942, and Commander Anders was awarded the Navy Cross in 1969.

ANDERS, ARTHUR F.

Lieutenant, U.S. NavyU.S.S. PanayDate of Action: December 12, 1937

Citation:
NOTE: For his heroism and leadership, Arthur 'Tex' Anders was initially awarded the Navy Cross, the second-highest combat award given in the 1930s (one step below the Medal of Honor). However, the U.S. was technically not at war with Japan at the time of the incident, a fact a neutrality-minded Congress and Roosevelt Administration must have noted. Therefore the Navy Crosses awarded as a result of the Panay incident were withdrawn. In its place was substituted the Navy's second-highest non-combat award, the Distinguished Service Medal. Despite the fact that WWII brought the U.S. and Japan into open conflict, the DSM awards remained in place. The 1968 USS Pueblo Incident — in which a U.S. Navy vessel was attacked and seized by North Korea in international waters — brought back memories of the Panay. Shortly thereafter, the Navy Cross was re-issued to Arthur Anders in a ceremony at the U.S. Naval Academy.

ROBERTS, FRANK N.

Captain, U.S. Army
Date of Action: December 12, 1937Citation: THE NAVY CROSS(with citations when known):

ADAMS, CHARLES S.

Radioman Second Class, U.S. NavyU.S.S. Panay
Date of Action: December 12, 1937

Synopsis:
The Navy Cross is presented to Charles S. Adams, Radioman Second Class, U.S. Navy, for extraordinary heroism in the line of his profession on December 12, 1937, while serving aboard the Panay when it was attacked by the Japanese.

BARLOW, HARRY DOUGLAS

Lieutenant Commander, British Royal NavyDate of Action: December 12, 1937

Synopsis:
The Navy Cross is presented to Harry Douglas Barlow, Lieutenant Commander, British Royal Navy, for his voluntary and unstinted cooperation in assisting with the recovery of the survivors of the Panay after it was attacked by the Japanese.

BONKOSKI, JOHN ANTHONY

Gunner's Mate Third Class, U.S. Navy

CHEATHAM, WALTER

Coxswain, U.S. Navy

CRABBE, LEWIS GONNE EYRE

Vice Admiral, British Royal Navy
Date of Action: December 12, 1937

Synopsis:
The Navy Cross is presented to Lewis Gonne Eyre Crabbe, Vice Admiral, British Royal Navy, for distinguished service in the line of his profession through his voluntary and unstinted cooperation in assisting with the recovery of the survivors of the U.S.S. Panay.

COWDEN, EDWARD E.

Coxswain, U.S. Navy

DIRNHOFFER, JOHN A.

Seaman First Class, U.S. Navy

GRAZIER, CLARK G.

Lieutenant (MC), U.S. Navy

HEBARD, ROBERT RAYMOND
Fireman First Class, U.S. Navy

HENNESSY, JOHN N.

Gunner's Mate Second Class, U.S. NavyU.S.S. PanayDate of Action: December 12, 1937

Citation:
The Navy Cross is presented to John N. Hennessy, Gunner's Mate Second Class, U.S. Navy, for extraordinary heroism on the occasion of the bombing and loss of the U.S.S.Panay on 12 December 1937. Gunner's Mate Second Class Hennessy was a member of the crew, which courageously operated the machine gun battery against the attacking planes even though these guns could not bear forward from which direction most of the attacks were made. He remained at his post of duty until the ammunition was expended and he was ordered to abandon ship. His performance of duty on this occasion was in keeping with the highest traditions of the Naval Service.

HODGE, JOHN J.

Fireman First Class, U.S. Navy

HULSEBUS, EDGAR W. G. (Posthumous)

Coxswain, U.S. Navy

Citation:
For having distinguished himself by display of heroism on the occasion of the bombing and loss of the USS Panay on 12 December 1937. Hulsebus was a member of the crew, which courageously operated the machine gun battery against the attacking planes, even though these guns could not bear forward from which direction most of the attacks were made. He remained at his post of duty until he was fatally wounded and carried from the ship. His performance of duty on this occasion was in keeping with the highest traditions of the Naval Service.

KERSKE, CARL H.

Coxswain, U.S. Navy

KOZAK, ALEXANDER

Motor Machinist Second Class, U.S. Navy

LANG, JOHN HENRY

Chief Quartermaster, U.S. Navy

MAHLMANN, ERNEST R.

Chief Boatswain's Mate, U.S. Navy

For distinguishing himself by his display of heroism on the occasion of the bombing and loss of the USS Panay on December 12, 1937, Mahlmann manned three machine guns at different times. It was due to his efforts that the boats were successfully lowered and manned during the abandon ship operations; he was continuously exposed to heavy bombing and machine gun fire from attacking planes. He made all of the trips in the sampan and voluntarily returned to the sinking Panay for supplies after she had been abandoned.

MCEOWEN, STANLEY W.

Seaman First Class, U.S. Navy

MURPHY, JAMES T.

Radioman Third Class, U.S. NavyU.S.S. PanayDate of Action: December 12, 1937

Citation:
The Navy Cross is presented to James T. Murphy, Radioman Third Class, U.S. Navy, for extraordinary heroism on the occasion of the bombing and loss of the U.S.S. Panay. Radioman Third Class Murphy was a member of the crew, which courageously operated the machine gun battery against the attacking planes, even though these guns could not bear forward from which direction most of the attacks were made. He remained at his post of duty until the ammunition was expended and he was ordered to abandon ship. His performance of duty on this occasion was in keeping with the highest traditions of the Naval Service.